Packaged tour in Spain/Protugal
 

Does anyone know of a top quality touring company that offers luxury tours through Spain, with the possibly of including a bit of Portugal?

We have always travelled on our own, enjoying the flexibility, and avoiding the "herding" atmosphere of group tours, but we are ready to take it easy now, and leave the driving and the details to someone else.

We are still not ready for a cruise which only allows 6-7 hours in which to experience a city or town.

Elaine,
Tauck is one of the most frequently mentioned high end packaged tour companies here. They do have a 14 night Spain/Portugal tour using luxury hotels like the Westin Alfonso XIII in Sevilla, the Westin La Quinta resort in Marbella and a parador (Almagro). See it here:
www.tauck.com/docs/frameset3.htm

I took Collette tour of Spain and Portugal 15 days check out the itineary at Collettevacations.com All the hotels were top rate and centrally located. It was a good tour and tour company.I have taken several with this Company

Thanks for the suggestions. I had never heard of Collette before.

I did some checking on the various sites, and the Tauck tour costs a little over $3,000 based on double occupancy for a 15 day vacation, whereas the Collette tour costs a bit under $2,000 for the same length of time.

Is the quality of the hotels and restaurants much better through Tauck, or are the tours better?

I also checked the Abercrombie and Kent tours, and they are far more expensive running from about $5,500 to over $6,000 per person for a 15 day tour.

There certainly is a huge price differential among the touring companies. Any other advice?

When I took the Collette Tour we stayed in some of the same hotels as the Tauck. Not all of the meals were in The hotles some were in Local Restaurants. with Collette . Always book your own airfare and try go ahead one full day Prior to the start of the tour You can book the same hotel thru the tour. company or on your own they may even pick up the cost for the airport taxi on the fist day .You will be well rested for the star of your tour . But remember you are on tour not Vacation.

We are leaving for Spain with Globus tour this Friday. http://www.globusjourneys.com/europe.aspx

I checked out your trip, hope_t, and it seems excellent. It is one of the few that cover so many places. Please post your opinion about it when you come back. Have a wonderful time.

That was an insightful remark, Italiano. You are right about being on tour and not on a vacation, although I wish I could blend the two.

Insight also has a tour of Spain/Portugal. I took it 4 years back and it was super. Take the one w/ Barcelona....fabulous city!

The Spain and Portugal tour through Tauk looks excellent, except for one major drawback....it does not include Barcelona this year.

It is only included on the one week tour, which is too short for us, and the Northern Spain tour, which doesn't seem as interesting.